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Europe & Eurasia
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Tariff Trouble in Trump Town
President Trump has had many a cartoon about him as a child throwing toys and anything to hand out of the playpen. Now, of...
Economy & Business
Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy
True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global markets with a three-day surge of tariff announcements, border security negotiations and ultimately a 30-day...
Civil Society
EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum enhances regional cooperation, sustainable development
Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan, hosted the fifth EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum on January 28-30, focusing on digital transformation,...
Russia Sanctions
The Biden administration’s parting gift to Russia: Still more sanctions
Clearly working overtime to underscore the Biden administration’s desire to inflict maximum economic pain on Moscow and its coterie of Ukraine invasion supporters outside...
Critical Infrastructure
Undeclared “open season” on energy infrastructure in Europe
Russia is claiming it has shot down nine Ukrainian drones that tried to attack the TurkStream pipeline, which carries Russian gas to Europe through...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Insights from the recent UN-Turkmenistan Dialogue on the International Year of Peace and Trust
The modern world stands at a crossroads, facing unprecedented challenges that range from political conflicts to environmental crises. At the heart of these issues...
Russia Sanctions
Stringent new energy sector sanctions on Russia announced
On January 10, the U.S. Government released a massive new listing of over 200 entities and individuals involved in Russia’s energy sector for Ukraine-related...
Kazakhstan
Tokayev: Kazakhstan strengthens foreign policy, economic potential
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said his primary goal is to strengthen the economic potential, sovereignty, and international standing of his Central Asian country. Since...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Stock Market or Not Market
So, what is a market? Obviously, it is somewhere where you can buy and sell “stuff.” In a successful economy having a market to...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Transforming Central Asia from a frontier market to a stable investment
Central Asia is considered a frontier market. However, at least two of the five countries that constitute this region, namely Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are...
Critical Infrastructure
NATO and EU strengthen Baltic Sea infrastructure protection after Estlink2 undersea power cable damaged
The damage of an undersea power cable off the coast of Finland in the Baltic Sea is the latest in a series of suspected...
Interviews
After Baku, Belem COP to strengthen Paris Agreement
After the controversial agreement at COP29 in Baku, NE Global sat down with Professor Gregg Walker, a COP veteran, for a close analysis of...
Columns
EU searches for alternatives before Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine stops
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly stated that it will not extend a transit agreement, which has provided political, commercial, technical and legal grounds for...
EU Institutions
Bulgaria and Romania become full Schengen area countries
As from January 1, 2025, travel will become possible without land border controls to and between Bulgaria and Romania. This follows a unanimous decision...
Global Energy Supplies
OPEC+ postpones plans to increase production over supply unease
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, known collectively as OPEC+, decided on December 5 to delay its planned...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
A Christmas Carol for the new European Commission
In the novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens it is noted that “there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter...
Democracy & Human Rights
Biden administration takes final steps to counter global corruption and human rights abuses
Announcing a global grab-bag of new sanctions, possibly some of its last, the Biden administration took major steps on December 9 by authorizing new...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Europe’s Vaping Policy Needs Education, Not Heavy-Handed Bans
Europe’s vaping crackdown is about to backfire spectacularly. As countries across the continent gear up to ban disposable vapes and puff devices in an...
Democracy & Human Rights
Georgia’s political confrontation continues at low boil
It is difficult to find anyone other than current government officials from the “Georgian Dream” party that will claim the country’s October 26 Parliamentary...
EU Institutions
Facing mounting challenges, new EU Commission takes office
Amidst global geopolitical turmoil, the European Commission of Ursula von der Leyen officially took office on December 1 with the President pledging that over...
Global Energy Insider
COP29: Multilateral diplomatic stalemate circumvented
COP29 in Baku ended in the early hours of November 24, reaching a compromise deal on finance that will advance the global climate agenda...
Interviews
An Italian parliamentarian’s perspectives on COP29
On the second day of COP29 in Baku (November 12), NE Global interviewed Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies,...
Renewables
Syensqo: Transforming the hydrogen value chain
In the framework of European Hydrogen Week, Syensqo’s Head of Marketing Green Hydrogen Growth Platform, Sophia Song, spoke to NE Global about the company’s...
Russia Sanctions
U.S. sanctions Russian banks, finance officials and securities registrars
The U.S. announced on November 21 new sanctions targeting Russia’s largest remaining non-designated bank (Gazprombank), as well as dozens of other financial institutions and...
Interviews
Azerbaijan’s space shot: Satellites tracking climate change clues
The Space Agency of Azerbaijan sees the UN’s annual climate conference (COP29) currently taking place in Baku as an opportunity to extend global collaboration...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The Key Issue for a new Government
After 14 years in the political wilderness, the new UK Labour government could be excused for being somewhat rusty when it comes to running...
Kazakhstan
Striving for the best: results of the new QS Asia university rankings 2025
The number of Kazakhstani universities in the flagship QS World University Rankings, which lists the world's top universities, has more than doubled over the...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Maia Sandu’s slim win: Moldova struggles between Europe and tradition
The results of Moldova’s recent presidential elections and referendum are final. President Maia Sandu won a re-election bid, while a referendum to cement the...
Interviews
Addressing Caspian Sea shrinkage requires a collective response
Protecting the Caspian Sea is critical. As the UN’s annual climate conference (COP29) approaches, the gradual drop of the Caspian Sea's water level is...
Defense & Security
Allies condemn the DPRK’s deployment of troops to Russia
The G7 countries, the EU as well as Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand on November 6 expressed "grave concern" over the deployment of...
Democracy & Human Rights
Georgia’s democratic election dream becomes a screamer
Georgia’s October 26 Parliamentary elections did not hold up as “free and fair” even under the lightest of scrutiny. Despite the presence of a...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Kazakhstan’s bold leap towards establishing an academic hub
The ConnectED 2024 conference, held in Astana on October 17-18, marked a significant milestone in Kazakhstan’s ambition to become a leading academic and research...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
How French Neocolonialism converges with Iranian terrorism
France raised one billion euros "for the people of Lebanon," with a declared goal “to provide humanitarian aid." French President Emmanuel Macron even made...
Zero Tolerance
IMF pronounces victory over inflation while sounding debt and tariff warnings
The 2024 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) took place in Washington D.C. from October 21...
Energy
EU-GCC to expand cooperation on green energy, minerals, and bringing peace to Ukraine
The EU heads of state and government and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held their first summit on October 16 in Brussels under the...
China
Drone producers in China and Russia face new U.S. sanctions
In recent months, the Biden administration’s sanctions taskmasters at the State and Treasury Departments have clearly gone into overdrive, designating new targets/entities at least...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
The complex politics of Caspian gas
For the countries bordering the Caspian Sea, gas has always been a major economic resource and, in most cases, one of the biggest contributors...
Transport
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan railways upgrading the Middle Corridor
Much has been reported in the last few years about the steady progress across Central Asia and the Caucasus in establishing the so-called “Middle...
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan opts for nuclear power following national referendum
Following an October 6 national referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, an overwhelming majority of voters, totaling 5,561,937 people...
Terrorism
Washington orders new sanctions against Hamas’ sham fundraising network
Going after key elements of the Hamas European fundraising network on the anniversary of the Gaza war, on October 7 the U.S. Treasury Department’s...
Interviews
Interview: A Polish view of cooperation with the EU
As Poland prepares for its presidency over the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025, NE Global sat down with...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Strategic Partnership or Strategic Risk? France’s Deepening Ties with Qatar
It has recently marked the half-year anniversary since France and Qatar announced a strategic partnership that will see the emirate invest €10 billion into...
Environment
In energy-rich Azerbaijan, COP29 preview targets a greener future
Ahead of the UN’s annual climate conference, COP29, key stakeholders from policy, private sector, finance, trade and investment, civil society, cities, regions, science and...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Development of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions: an integrative future vision
When the issue at hand is as significant as the integration between world religions in terms of shared values and collective thinking, it is...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Supplying Russia and Iran, Armenia emerges as a new sanctions black hole
For the past two years, Armenia has been attempting to demonstrate its shift towards the West, all the while maintaining its geopolitical role as...
Zero Tolerance
UNGA 2024 overshadowed by Middle East turmoil
At the end of September, as usual, most of the world’s leaders converge on New York for the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
A Source of Growth?
The most overused word at the moment has to be “growth.” From the politically naïve (or stupid) and thankfully short UK premiership of Liz...
Op-Eds & Guest Contributors
Europe’s climate policy isn’t working. It’s time for a new approach
The EU faces two inescapable truths: it’s falling behind on growth and angering the European public and farmers with some of its climate policies....
Democracy & Human Rights
Georgian officials sanctioned for anti-democratic actions and human rights abuses
In the continuing wave of new sanctions announcements this month against actors who are seen as undermining democracy and abusing human rights, the Biden...
Interviews
Interview: Afghanistan military mission veteran lays out Hungarian EU Presidency goals
In 2008-2009, one of Hungary's most successful military missions took place in Bhaglan Province, Afghanistan. That mission was led by Zsolt Sándor, Hungary's current...
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